josephandtwain
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josephandtwain's Past Cruises

June 2016 - Carnival Freedom to Caribbean - Western

We had an adult trip planned for three couples. We all had a great time. The lunch buffet was a little lackluster in my opinion, but the dinner and breakfast options were great.

We would probably do this itinerary/ship again, but would choose our shore excursions differently. Roatan was great for beach time and really no need for any excursion if you like the beach. Belize City was awful, in spite of the fact that we enjoyed our excursion. If we go back, we'll stay on the ship or take an excursion to one of the cayes/keys. We have been to Cozumel plenty of times, so we chose to wander around and lunch on our own before heading back to enjoy the vacated ship.

The staff was wonderful throughout the trip with only minor exceptions. A word of caution - if you chose to take a bottle of wine (eligible 1 sealed bottle per adult) or small canned non-alcoholic drinks, you must carry them with you to check in on the boat! It's clearly noted in the documentation, but somehow two of the three couples missed that little detail (me included). Also, you can have continental breakfast in your room every morning at no charge, which includes coffee!! This was a fantastic surprise for us and we took advantage of it every single day.

Lastly, the Faster to the Fun is a minimal change and made the disembarkation process SO MUCH BETTER. The other two couples in our group did not use it and we were off the ship hours before they were. FTTF didn't come in helpful anywhere else except for the check-in, but I'd still grab it again if it's available due to the nominal fee.

josephandtwain's Tips

Belize City, Belize - Belize City is ... not nice. I'd opt for a caye/key excursion (scuba/snorkle) or stay on the boat. The cave/zip lining/ tubing tours are 90 min away (each way), are fun, but may not be worth the effort and scenery. :/
Galveston, Texas - Oh Galveston ... where the waters are brown, and so are the beaches. I kid, it's Galveston. Be prepared for lackluster, but your level of excitement is so high, just focus on getting on the ship.
Cozumel, Mexico - The prices drip as the distance from the cruise ship increases. Should be a no-brainer, but I somehow forget, get too excited and buy the first time/one I see. I will learn on day to shop around and haggle ... or maybe i won't, :)
Mahogany Bay, Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras - FANTASTIC beach fun, massages, coconut drinks, volleball. The chair lift is a little pricey, but it's fun. The food is meh, but it's acceptable. The ship docks, so going back aboard for lunch is probably the smartest thing to do here, imo. The island has a very Caribbean feel, so take advantage of it. It's the best stop on the itinerary imo.
Carnival Freedom - Get the Carnival Hub app and use it. It was great for keeping in contact with friends on the ship, having the most current schedule of events, deck maps, and more at my fingertips. All 6 adults in our group used it and loved it. It's a nominal fee, but completely worth it in my opinion.

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received a helpful vote on their Carnival Freedom cruise review - Great time, great value

received a helpful vote on their Carnival Freedom cruise review - Great time, great value

shared a quick tip for Carnival Freedom"Get the Carnival Hub app and use it. It was great for keeping in contact with friends on the ship, having the most current schedule of events, deck maps, and more at my fingertips. All 6 adults in our group used it and loved it. It's a nominal fee, but completely worth it in my opinion. "